ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · prune · drill · pass · chest · date · craft · safe

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. craft — a skill
  4. drill — the tool
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. drill — army training
  7. pass — a permit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. drill — a practice
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. prune — to trim
  16. craft — boats
  17. date — the fruit
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. chest — of your body
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com